polycentric

American  

[pol-ee-sen-trik] / ˌpɒl iˈsɛn trɪk /

adjective

1. having many centers, especially of power or importance.

   the polycentric world of banking.

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Etymology

Origin of polycentric

First recorded in 1885–90; poly- + -centric

Example Sentences

That vast, polycentric mass — long derided by urban experts residing in denser cities — can also be an asset in the years ahead as autonomous mobility becomes ubiquitous.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

Schmidt and Li said the findings have implications for regional-level planning that are already institutionalized in German and European systems that promote polycentric development as a goal.

From Science Daily • Feb. 12, 2024

“You have to imagine a polycentric system, where each center plays its role in the setting of an orchestra.”

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2023

“Most other countries … want to create a polycentric or a multipolar world, with no single center of control, in which no one imposes its visions, interests and values on others,” he said on Saturday.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 24, 2022

In the Sino-Soviet rift that developed during the 1960s, Bulgaria continually expressed its allegiance to Moscow and decried the divisiveness that resulted from polycentric attitudes and actions.

From Area Handbook for Bulgaria by Baluyut, Violeta D.